Bismarckia nobilis in the sole species in the genus and is native to Madagascar where it grows in open grassland and full sun. It is drought tolerant and easy to care for requiring intermittent deep watering. They will need to be protected from freezing tempuratures when young, but the cold hardiness improves with maturity. The leaves range from greenish gray to nearly blue with the "bluer" individuals being more cold hardy. These were grown from seeds of the blue leaved variety and have good cold tolerance. This palm is becoming more common in Arizona nurseries but still often fetches high prices. Zones 9-11